Jedi Academy: The Allure of the Shadow
by Talonah
Summary: Post JA fanfic. Features LSHF Jaden. Kyle, Rosh, and Jaden investigate a Sith artifact on Coruscant.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction. I do not receive any money for this work.

Author's Notes: This is the first fanfiction that I have posted on the Internet, so, I'm pretty nervous. But please _don't_ go easy on me. I am aware that I have a lot of work to do with my writing skills - especially when it comes to writing realistic male characters. I welcome all reviews and comments on any aspect of my fanfic. But if you flame me, I'll just ignore you.

This story follows the light side ending of the Star Wars video game Jedi Academy. I know that a lot of people didn't like Rosh in JA, so I'm going to try and make him more mature while keeping his light sense of humor.

**Prologue **

**:TEXT MESSAGE ENCODED TO JEDI MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER. JEDI ACADEMY, YAVIN 4:**

Master Skywalker,

In my investigation of the Sith artifact, I have come upon something disturbing. Recently, I have been experiencing nightmares as I sleep. At first, I thought it was caused by residual stress from last year's incident on Korriban. But I found that as I came closer to the artifact, the nightmares became more severe, and I started experiencing flashbacks even when I was awake. Meditation does not help. Sleep is impossible.

I feel that I am incapable of completing this mission. I would strongly recommend not sending anyone else to investigate the artifact. I will return to the Academy as soon as possible and brief you upon my arrival.

Jaden Korr

**:END TRANSMISSION:**

* * *

**:TEXT MESSAGE ENCODED TO JEDI KNIGHT JADEN KORR. CORUSCANT:**

Jaden,

I wish that I could respect your feelings in this matter, but it is too dangerous to the population of Coruscant to leave the artifact there any longer than is absolutely necessary. I am sending Kyle and Rosh to Coruscant to meet you. Kyle is under orders not to investigate the artifact until he finds out exactly what is disturbing you. Unless it endangers innocent lives, I would ask that you not leave the surface until you explain everything to Kyle.

Luke Skywalker

**:END TRANSMISSION:**

* * *

**:TEXT MESSAGE ENCODED TO JEDI MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER. JEDI ACADEMY, YAVIN 4:**

Master Skywalker,

I will do as you ask.

Jaden Korr

**:END TRANSMISSION:**


	2. Hyperspace

shanesnest and snackfiend, thanks for reviewing. I feel less nervous about posting this next chapter. I'm eager to hear your opinions.

shanesnest: Thanks for noticing that mistake there. I have changed it, so it should be less confusing. Oh, well. These things happen. It only proves that no author is perfect, eh?

snackfiend: Then again, having Rosh's arm cut off is pretty satisfying, too. I often wonder if it was the intention of the people at Lucasarts to make Rosh the way he is. He's the Jar-Jar Binks of the Jedi Knight series. And personally, I'm a light side player, but fighting Kyle in the dark side ending is just too fun to resist. He's the toughest boss in the entire game.

5-3-05 Edit: Added some dialogue near the end of the chapter, in the middle of Jaden's message.  
5-25-05 Edit: Changed a couple of words around to make things more clear.

* * *

**Hyperspace – The _Raven's Claw_ **

The _Raven's Claw_ hurtled through open space towards Yavin 4. Flickering light from the passing stars played over the ship's hull. Inside the ship, a raven-haired youth sat at the controls, his lips pursed together as he surveyed the swirling light before him.

The brown-haired, middle-aged man slumped in the copilot's chair was more relaxed than his companion. The man's eyes were closed and he breathed deeply and slowly as if asleep.

The console beeped. The young man leaned forward to look at the display. His eyes widened, and he poked his copilot in the arm.

"Kyle! Wake up!"

The older man opened one brown eye lazily. "What is it, Rosh?"

"We're getting a transmission. I think it's...it's from Master Skywalker!" At this, Kyle opened his other eye and sat up straight. He blinked hard a few times to chase away the sleepiness and tapped a few controls.

A blue-tinted hologram of a man materialized on the console. Luke Skywalker spoke first. "Kyle, Rosh."

"Luke." Kyle acknowledged. "What's up?"

"Something disturbing."

"Well, I figured you didn't call to ask for the time."

"And if you had," Rosh interjected, "That certainly could have been classified as 'disturbing.'"

Luke wasn't one to give comebacks, but he smiled at Rosh's comment. "Yes, I suppose it would be. How far are you from Coruscant, Kyle?"

Kyle called up the galaxy map on the _Raven's Claw_. "Approximately five hours. Why?"

"I've been in contact with Jaden. It seems that something has gone wrong with her latest mission. I sent Jaden to Coruscant to investigate and retrieve a Sith artifact."

"Wait a second," Kyle interrupted. "You said '_Sith_?'"

"Yes. A Twi'lek male happened upon it while scavenging in the underlevels. Not knowing what it was, he activated it. He was found dead six days ago."

Kyle and Rosh looked at each other, concerned. "I sent Jaden to Coruscant immediately upon hearing the news," Luke continued. "I received a text-only transmission from her fifty hours ago, saying that she had found, and I quote, 'something disturbing.'"

"Hence your use of the phrase earlier," Rosh put in.

"Yes."

"Could you send us the message?" Kyle asked.

Luke nodded. "The message is on its way. And there's more. I want you and Rosh to go to Coruscant yourselves and find out exactly what is happening there. I've told Jaden to stay put until you arrive."

"Oh." Kyle nodded. "Okay. Where is the artifact now?"

"I do not know. The Twi'lek was the last known person to hold it. But don't investigate the artifact itself until you find out what's bothering Jaden." He paused. "There is a disturbance in the Force. I fear there is more going on here than either you or I, or even Jaden, know. Be extremely cautious."

Kyle touched his hand to his forehead in a salute. "Will do."

The hologram dissipated.

"I thought I talked with him about over-using that sentence," Kyle muttered.

"What sentence?" Rosh asked curiously.

"'There's a disturbance in the Force.'"

"Oh, _that_ one. I thought you were talking about 'Be extremely cautious.'"

"That one too. Now let's see that message." Kyle brought Jaden's message up on the display.

"_In my investigation of the Sith artifact, I have come upon something disturbing."_

"Ha!" Rosh crowed. "There it is! 'Something disturbing.'"

"Shut up and just read the message."

It continued, _"Recently, I have been experiencing nightmares while I slept. At first, I thought it was caused by residual stress from last year's incident on Korriban. But I found that as I came closer to the artifact, the nightmares became more severe, and I started experiencing flashbacks even when I was awake. Meditation does not help. Sleep is impossible. I feel that I am incapable of completing this mission. I would strongly recommend not sending anyone else to investigate the artifact. I will return to the Academy as soon as possible and brief you upon my arrival."_

Kyle leaned back in his chair, deeply disturbed by what Jaden had written. Rosh sat quietly, waiting for his Master to say something.

At length, Kyle turned towards Rosh and spoke. "Any thoughts, Rosh?"

Rosh was tempted to say something funny like, "Well, that could definitely be described as 'something disturbing,'" but the gravity of the situation made him hesitate.

Instead, he commented, "I'm thinking we should change our course right now."

"You took the words right out of my mouth, kid." The two set about plotting a new course for Coruscant.


	3. Jaden

shanesnest and snackfiend, thanks for the welcome. I hope I can contribute a lot to this category.

5-25-05 Edit: Changed a couple of words around to make things more clear.

* * *

**Coruscant - Underlevels**

Luke had been good enough to include with Jaden's message information on where she was staying. It wasn't hard to find the apartment. It was located in the residential complex of the ninth Twi'lek district.The building itself was a makeshift jumble of scavenged ship parts and metal scrap that looked as though it were about to topple over on its side. Pipes and conduits wrapped around the outside walls as if they were the only things holding the structure together. Debris lined the narrow stairway that lead to a durasteel door.

Rosh looked at the building with open disgust. "Jaden usually has good taste. Why did she choose to stay here?"

Kyle frowned. "The question is, she did she choose to live in an apartment at all? Her mission was supposed to be short. There was no need to stay here for more than a few days just to get the artifact."

"Maybe she was injured somehow," Rosh offered. "Maybe she couldn't make it back up to the upper levels and decided to stay here until she healed."

"Possibly. But let's not jump to conclusions until we find her and see for ourselves."

The two Jedi gingerly picked their way up the stairs through the rubbish to the door. It was locked. Kyle pressed a button on the wall near him.

The door slid open and a tiny old Twi'lek woman shuffled out.

"_Na hti vel_?"

"We're looking for a tenant. Jaden Korr?"

:No one here by that name: she replied in Twi'leki.

"Human female? Brown hair—"

:Only one human here. Fourth floor. Unit four-four-one:

"Thank you," Kyle said.

The Twi'lek returned to her room without another word.

"Charming lady," Rosh quipped.

"Let's find Jaden." Kyle led the way up to the fourth floor. He stopped at number 441 and knocked. There was no response.

"Jaden?" Again, no answer. But after a moment, the door slid partway open. There was only inky blackness behind the portal.

_BONG_! A frying pan came out of nowhere, aimed at Kyle's head. Kyle and Rosh recoiled at the sight. But the strike was sloppy, and it hit the doorframe instead. The attacker behind the door cursed, and the makeshift weapon retreated back into the darkness.

"I'm filled with confidence for Jaden's well-being," Rosh muttered. Kyle ignored him and moved forward cautiously.

"Jaden? It's Kyle!"

There was a gasp of recognition.

"Kyle?" The door slid open fully to reveal Jaden. "Rosh? You're here already?"

Kyle and Rosh gaped at her appearance. Her normally long, brown, neat hair was tangled. Her clothes looked like she'd slept in them for several days. Her emerald-green eyes were rimmed with red.

"We took a shortcut." Rosh finally managed to reply. He eyed her critically. "You're a mess."

"I'm glad to see you too, Rosh," Jaden replied dryly. She turned to look at Kyle, and her eyes dropped to the floor. "Um…I'm sorry for my behavior. I haven't had much sleep lately, and it's making me paranoid."

Kyle shrugged. "No harm done."

Jaden brushed her rumpled clothes, trying in vain to smooth them out. "I, uh...I'll explain everything once I freshen up." She stepped aside to let them enter. "Come in."

The two men entered the apartment only to be greeted by another surprise.

The place was neat and clean.

Jaden noticed their stares. "I had a lot of time on my hands while I was waiting for you to arrive."

"I'm impressed," Rosh remarked. "Compared to the rest of the building, this place is like a dream home!"

Jaden pointed to a table and chairs over by the window. "Go ahead and sit down, or whatever. I'll be a few minutes." She disappeared into a refresher at the back of the room.

Kyle and Rosh took the time to assess the results of Jaden's effort to tidy the dwelling. Overall, it wasn't half-bad. A fresh coat of red paint had brightened the walls considerably — that is, the walls that weren't cracked. Jaden had managed to hide the fissures near the floors by moving furniture in front of them, but the ones higher up were a little more difficult to conceal. Some stains on the furniture and carpet appeared to be permanent, but clean sheets hid the stains on the furniture and the furniture covered the stains on the carpet. The equipment in the small kitchen was worn out, but spotless and functional — barely.

Jaden walked back into the room. Her hair was now combed and braided. Fresh black pants and an unwrinkled red tunic replaced her old outfit. She couldn't do much about her red eyes, but her face and hands were clean.

They sat in the chairs by the window. Before they talked, however, Rosh had one question. "Why did you take the time to tidy this place up? You weren't planning to make a permanent residence here, were you?"

Jaden shook her head. "No. The Academy is my home now. But the landlord promised to let me stay here for free if I really cleaned it. She was desperate for tenants." She shrugged. "It seemed like the nice thing to do."

"Why did you want to stay here at all?" Kyle asked. "Your mission was supposed to be short."

"'Short' is a relative term when it comes to Jedi missions," Jaden replied. "But let me start at the beginning, otherwise I'll get confused.

"It was easy enough to land on Coruscant. Force, I was born here..."


	4. The Artifact, Part I

I can see your faces now, you're saying to yourselves, "What's going on? Why's she updating the next day? She said she was going to update next week? Is she crazy?"

Answer: Yes, I know I'm acting weird. But bear with me, please. I'm going on vacation next week, and I'm pretty stressed out from getting ready to leave. Plus, I haven't been feeling so good, and it's making me act weird, like posting reviews to my own story and updating the next day when I said I was going to update next week. I do apologize for my behavior. Hm. Maybe I'm being affected by the Sith artifact. Or maybe it was that slice of triple chocolate cake.

Anyways, this is Chapter 3. Ch. 3 turned out to be pretty long, so I'm splitting it up into two parts. The second part is the one that will be posted next week as Ch. 4. Ch. 4 will explain what the artifact is and why it affects Jaden so. Have I confused you enough yet? Never mind. Just read the story.

5-15-05 edit: Corrected a few mistakes with grammar and punctuation. Also edited the last sentence of the chapter, as I felt it was too short.

5-26-05 edit: Added a few sentences after Jaden's first vision to establish that she has had visions such as this before.

**

* * *

**

**Coruscant – Upper levels – Five days earlier**

Jaden secured her Z-95 and checked in with New Republic customs.

"Greetings, Jedi Knight." The human customs officer greeted her cordially. "We have been expecting you. The Jedi Academy has already paid the docking fee, so all you need to do is place your hand here to record your entry." He gestured to a console next to him.

She pressed her hand against the jellylike plating. It vibrated under her hand. The officer watched a string of letter and numbers on the screen.

"All right," he smiled. "You're free to leave." He held out his hand, and the Jedi shook it firmly. "Doris from Coruscant Security is waiting for you just outside the docking bay. He will be your New Republic liaison during your stay on Coruscant."

Captain Mika Doris was a Bothan. His brown fur was speckled with silver hairs. He bowed low when he saw Jaden.

"Welcome to Coruscant, Jedi Korr. May I ask how your journey was?"

"It was uneventful," Jaden replied, smiling.

"Those kinds of journeys are always the best ones, I always say. Now, I'm told that you are here to investigate the Sith artifact?"

"Indeed, I am."

"Excellent. I thought we might begin by investigating the Twi'lek who had the artifact."

"That sounds good. Lead the way, please."

They took a turbolift down to a parking garage where a row of shiny new airspeeders awaited them.

"Impressive," Jaden remarked.

Captian Doris pulled back the cockpit canopy on one of the crafts. "Well, we do what we can." He leaned inside to check something.

Jaden started to smile, but then she was assaulted by a wave of the Force. Images flashed through her mind rapidly.

_A starry sky whirls rapidly._

_A cloaked figure holds out its hand. "You…you are worthy…"_

_A gray pyramidal device is lying by itself on a table. A red light flares within it, growing brighter and brighter…_

Jaden started. The Bothan officer straightened, and turned towards her.

"We're ready to — Master Korr! You look pale! Are you all right?"

Jaden forced a smile. "I'm fine. It must be the lighting in here." _The visions are coming while I'm awake now? This isn't good_, she thought.

"You're probably right. I always thought the lighting in here was too poor. Well, we're ready to go." He climbed into the pilot's seat and started the engines. Jaden took the passenger seat and buckled herself in securely.

The craft lifted gently, exhaust rippling underneath the fuselage. Captain Doris knew how to pilot an airspeeder, and it showed in his firm control of the vehicle. The speeder accelerated smoothly, and in seconds they burst out into the sunlight.

"You have good piloting skills," Jaden noticed. "How long have you been flying?"

"Most of my life," Doris replied, his sharp teeth showing as he grinned. "I do not handle spaceships that well, however. I prefer atmospheric craft like this myself. How about you?"

"I do well enough to get by. I prefer running to flying."

The Bothan raised a furry eyebrow. "You're missing out on a glorious experience, you understand."

"That's what all my pilot friends say, but somehow flying doesn't compare with having both my feet on solid ground."

Captain Doris shrugged. "All right. Have it your way."

They began their descent to the lower levels. As the airspeeder sank, Jaden noticed a gradual change in their environment. Fine transparisteel was replaced by the cheaper durasteel. The light became less as the buildings blocked out the sun.

After about forty-five minutes of flying, they arrived at their destination.

"This is the ninth Twi'lek district," Captain Doris said. "Other Twi'lek districts, like the first and third, have more wealth. This particular area is one of the more poverty-stricken areas. The Twi'lek who possessed the artifact lived here. His name was Elan Jorus."

The Bothan escorted her through the seedy streets. Gaunt-looking Twi'leks turned around to stare at them with hollow eyes as the Bothan and human passed by. Captain Doris kept a hand on his blaster lest one of the beings was hostile, but Jaden could sense that they were merely curious. She kept her expression open and friendly.

The two investigators entered a residential complex and went up to the second floor. He stopped at a door and knocked. A weary-looking Twi'lek female answered the door.

"Greetings," the captain said courteously. "I am Captain Mika Doris of the New Republic. I have brought a Jedi here to investigate your husband's death."

The Twi'lek looked fearfully at Jaden, then lowered her eyes to the floor and nodded. She stepped back, and Jaden entered ahead of the Bothan.

Three Twi'lek children with rags for clothing stared curiously at the strangers. One little girl smiled, showing teeth rotted from malnutrition. Jaden smiled back, but her insides were churning.

_How have these children managed to survive in this wretched place?_ she thought. _And what are they going to do with their father and provider gone?_

"Can you tell us about your husband and the artifact he had?" Captain Doris asked Elan's wife.

"Yes," she said in barely a whisper. Tears formed in the woman's eyes, and she struggled to control them while in front of her children.

Jaden was stirred by compassion for the woman and her family. Gently, she said, "We know you must be having a difficult time right now. If this isn't a good time to talk―"

"No!" Elan's wife's expression suddenly turned to one of seething anger. Jaden was taken aback by the ferocity of her gaze. "Find out why that thing destroyed my husband! I'll tell you everything you want to know!"

"When did your husband first find the artifact?" Captain Doris asked.

"About two weeks ago. He had found it while searching for employment. He brought it home the first day he had found it...and it never left his side since."

"Why? Was he obsessed with it?"

"Very. He wouldn't let any of us touch it. He let us glimpse it when he brought it home the first time, but after that, he kept it hidden."

"What does the artifact look like?"

"It is gray, and pyramidal in shape. When it is activated, it glows red."

"Where is the artifact now?" Jaden questioned.

Elan's wife shrugged. "His...body was found in the back room, so I assume it's still in there somewhere."

Captain Doris went to the back room and opened the connecting door. The smell of something burnt wafted into the front room. The children covered their noses.

The Twi'lek mother trembled. "I...found him in there. He was dead...burnt from the inside out." She burst into tears. Jaden winced.

The Jedi dug into her pockets and came up with two hundred credits. "Here." She pressed them into the widow's hand. "Take these. You and your children should move out of here, at least for now."

Shock spread over the Twi'lek's face. "You're...you're giving me two hundred credits? Just like that? Th – thank you, Master Jedi! I will be ever grateful!" She beckoned to her children, and when they were gone, Jaden joined the Bothan captain.

He was standing transfixed in the doorway, staring into the room. Jaden came up beside him and looked into the room.

The Sith artifact was on the table in the middle of the room. It was gray and pyramidal in shape ― just like in her dreams, Jaden realized.

_A vast army descends on a defenseless city. The horde slaughters everything in its path mercilessly._

_A human is strapped to a table. He is being tortured. He writhes in agony as bolts of electricity run through his body._

_A gray pyramidal device is lying by itself on a table. A red light flares within it, growing brighter and brighter…_

Everything swirled around dizzily in a kalidoscope of colors. Faintly Jaden could hear Captain Doris's voice calling, "Jedi Korr!"

With a supreme effort, Jaden tried to reach for the light, but it was too late. Everything went black.


	5. The Artifact, Part II

This is my last update for a couple of weeks. I'm going on vacation, so hopefully this chapter should tide you over until I get back.

I'm afraid I have developed a case of writer's block. Fortunately, I am just a couple of paragraphs away from completing Chapter 5, so I should be able to post it once I get back. I don't know what happened. Once I started writing the climax (I suck at writing lightsaber duels by the way...oops, did I just reveal a spoiler? Heh-heh...), it's like all the creative juices in my brain dried up. Weird.

Oh, yeah. One more thing. I created a new e-mail address for myself to use while I'm posting stories, so you can send e-mails to me now.

**

* * *

Coruscant - Elan Jorus's Apartment **

_Men, women, children, and aliens run screaming away from a fiery explosion that swallows them all._

_A Duros cries "Mercy!", raises his arms to cover his head, and shrinks away as a blue saber cleaves him in two._

_A gray pyramidal device is lying alone on a table. A red light flares within it, growing brighter and brighter…_

"Jedi Korr?" Jaden shook herself free of the visions. She found herself lying on the ground outside the apartment. Captain Doris knelt beside her, an anxious look on his face.

"I…" Jaden fought to regain control of her raging emotions. "What happened?"

"You collapsed. I dragged you out of the apartment. Are you all right? Should I call a medic?"

"No need," she replied. She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck. "Well, at least we know what the artifact is, now."

"What?" the Bothan asked. "What is it?"

"It's a Holocron."

"I beg your pardon, Jedi Korr. What is a Holocron?"

Jaden sighed. "It's a recording device used by the ancient Jedi. Only trained Force-users can access its knowledge database. The Holocrons used by the Jedi Knights were square in shape, but this one is pyramidal. That, and the dark aura around it, tells me it's Sith."

"But if it is merely a recording device, how could it kill Elan Jorus?"

"Perhaps it had some sort of safeguard against unauthorized access. Holocrons can determine the Force-sensitivity of a being. Perhaps it decided that Elan Jorus was not Force-sensitive and...and killed him."

"Fascinating…" Mika mused. Jaden hesitated over her next question.

"I must ask...what were your feelings as you looked at the Holocron?"

The captain thought for a moment as recalled the event. "A sense of foreboding. I could almost perceive a cloud of darkness around it as I stared at it. And yet I…I wanted to touch it."

Jaden started. Elan Jorus obsessing over the artifact, holding it in his hand…

"Where is the Holocron now?"

"On the table where we first saw it."

She gripped the captain's arm tightly. "Listen to me, captain. It is of the utmost importance that we destroy it as soon as possible."

"Destroy the Holocron? Are you sure that's wise?"

"It's the only thing we can do in order to save as many lives as possible."

"But…but the knowledge contained in there could increase the New Republic's strength a hundredfold…" The Bothan half-turned towards the apartment, a greedy, feral look in his eyes. Jaden had seen that look before, and knew what it meant.

She took a deep breath to slow her racing heart. "I know, Mika, that the dark side of the Force corrupts. I have seen the effects of its seductive power — not just with Elan Jorus, but with my friends as well. Trust me. It's the Holocron that's causing you to feel this way. It has some sort of alluring power that draws you to it. Elan Jorus was known to have an obsession for it. You yourself aren't immune. We can't risk letting anyone else get close to it, lest they suffer Elan's fate."

Doris straightened. "We can handle it."

"No, Mika! That is a lie! You may think you're controlling the dark side, but its power is too strong! It will end up controlling you!"

He shook his head. "You want the power for yourself."

"No! I want to destroy it!" As soon as she said the words, she regretted them instantly. Doris's eyes grew wide.

He pulled out his blaster and pointed it at her. "You would deny the New Republic a great source of power."

"It _is_ powerful, Mika, but it is from the wrong place!"

"I can't let you do this." He shot her. Red spikes burst in Jaden's vision as the pain registered. Everything went black.

* * *

Touch was the first sense that Jaden regained. A roaring fire that resonated throughout her whole body, especially her side. 

Sound. A moan echoed through the air. It took Jaden a few moments to realize that it was the wind rushing through the alley.

Sight came next. The blue Coruscanti sky was a mere speck above her; the skyscrapers rose up ominously on all sides.

Memories came flooding back. Talking with Elan's wife, the Holocron lying on the table, Mika pulling out his blaster and shooting her…

_Mika!_ Painfully, Jaden tried to sit up, but she was unable to do so. She tried the other alternative; rolling over on her stomach and pushing up on her hands and knees. Jaden did the former successfully, but rising to her knees was too difficult. Jaden whimpered in pain.

_The Force_. Of course. Jaden drew on the healing power of the light and felt the pain ebb enough for her to crawl to the apartment door.

"Mika?" she gasped as she gripped the doorframe and looked inside. There was no one in the front room. Jaden could not sense his presence, but something was very wrong.

She climbed to her feet very slowly, clutching her side. "Captain Doris?" No response.

Jaden staggered to the back room, and it was there that she found Mika Doris.

Dead. Burnt inside out, just like Elan Jorus.

Jaden swallowed hard. "Mika…" She turned away from the grisly spectacle.

The Holocron was still on the table where they had first found it. It appeared to be inactive, but Jaden could sense the dark aura around it. It felt like…an animal. Waiting to pounce on its prey.

_Jaden Korr…_

Jaden trembled.

_I sense your_ _presence. You are strong in the Force._

_I know that you desire the knowledge I hold. You could end the corruption within the Republic._

Jaden saw a vision of herself. She stood proudly in the Senate chamber. Her cold stare and ebony-black eyes betrayed her new allegiance. Around her, the corpses of the senators and their assistants lay dead.

_You are worthy to hold my knowledge. I give it to you. Freely. Just reach out and take it._

Sweat rolled down Jaden's face and into her clothing. The darkness was overwhelming. She wanted to touch it. Oh, so badly. But she only had to remember Tavion and Ragnos in order to see that it would kill her, and many others besides, if she assimilated its knowledge. The only thing she knew of to avoid the artifact's powers was to run.

So she ran.


	6. Duros Delight

Well, I am on the last day of my vacation, and I thought I might post Chapter 5 while I'm thinking about it. I am glad this hotel has Internet access.

I'm thinking about changing some of the chapters that I have posted now. I'm beginning to think that there is something lacking in my writing. I'm not quite sure what it is, but it is nagging at me. If anyone has any ideas, please post a review or e-mail me. Thanks!

I saw Revenge of the Sith today! If any of you have the chance to see it, see it. I thought it was very well done.

* * *

**shanesnest**: Wow.Very intuitive. You're right on all counts. Oh, and I wanted to say, thank you very much for your reviews. I look forward to reading them. 

**O Polemarch**: But the frying pan was more fun!

**Jack Milo**: I can see why you would say that I have Rosh's personality wrong. But there's a couple of reasons why I portray Rosh the way I do. First, it is almost certain that the incident with Tavion and Ragnos would have had an effect on him. Whether the change is for the better or for worse is up to the author, I suppose. Second, do you want to see the same interpretation of the characters for every story? The Jedi Knight category would get boring really fast if that were the case.

**

* * *

Coruscant – Jaden's apartment**

Kyle and Rosh were speechless, to say the least. Kyle's eyes were closed as he digested this new information.

"Wow," Rosh said finally. "That's quite a story."

Jaden smiled weakly. "Well, so now you know how weak I am."

Kyle's eyes snapped open. "You're hardly weak, Jaden. Very few people could have resisted the temptation to use the Holocron. Even a Jedi Master would've had a difficult time—"

Jaden stood and paced the floor. She waved her hands about helplessly. "But…I could've done something other than running."

Kyle frowned. "What could you have done?"

"I could've destroyed it!"

"Would you have?" His words stopped Jaden cold in her tracks. "Seriously, think about it. Would the Holocron have let you destroy itself?"

Jaden wrestled with the idea for a few moments, then shook her head. "No."

"You couldn't destroy it. You certainly couldn't take it back to the Academy, like you were ordered to do. So the only option was to run."

Jaden began pacing again. "Maybe I got away, but I can still sense it." She shivered and rubbed her arms. "I have this temptation to go back and take it for myself." She pressed her fingers against her temples. "I can't stop thinking about it."

Kyle stood up. "Well, you're not alone now. Rosh and I will help you." Rosh rose also.

Jaden glanced at Kyle. "You and Rosh aren't immune to the Holocron, either."

"There's strength in numbers," Rosh said. "We can keep each other accountable."

"All the accountability in the galaxy won't help us if one of us falls!" Jaden snapped.

Kyle tried to calm her down. He quoted, "'There is no emotion…'"

Jaden took a deep, slow breath. "…'There is peace.'" She stayed quiet for the next few minutes, wrestling with her feelings.

Kyle walked over and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "Fear is going to work against us here, Jaden. If you let it paralyze you…you're already lost."

"Yeah, and it's not guaranteed that you're going to fall, Jaden," Rosh added. "Anything can still happen."

Jaden nodded slowly and exhaled. "Okay. Let's go find the artifact."

Rosh shuffled his feet. "Um..." Kyle and Jaden turned to look at him. "Would it be unreasonable for us to get something to eat first? 'Cause I'm kinda hungry."

Jaden shook her head. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"Actually, he has," Kyle put in. "He's improved a lot."

Rosh grinned cheekily. "More handsome, more charming..."

Jaden scowled and poked Rosh's stomach. "More hungry."

He shrugged. "Well, what can I say?"

"Nothing." Jaden turned Rosh around so that he was facing the door. "Just walk out the door."

When they were outside, Kyle turned to Jaden. "You never said whether you were hungry or not. You _are_ okay with eating now, right?"

Jaden shrugged. "I am hungry. Yeah, let's eat."

Kyle pointed to the apartment. "Do you have any food in there?"

"If I did have food in _there_, we wouldn't be out _here_. We would be in _there_, eating it."

Rosh looked baffled. "No food?"

"Don't worry. I know a couple of good restaurants in the area."

Jaden led the way to a turbolift. As they walked, Jaden whispered to Kyle, "Are you sure he's changed?"

Kyle nodded. "Don't worry. You'll notice the difference soon enough. He's serious when we're on a mission, but in between missions or when we're alone, he tends to regress back towards his older self."

They reached the turbolift, and Rosh entered first.

"Good," Jaden mumbled before entering the lift car. "I don't need a happy-go-lucky Rosh right now."

They took the turbolift several levels up to the upper city. From there, they only needed to cross a walkway to the next building to find the restaurant.

"'Duros' Delight?'" Rosh read from the sign. "Are you serious?"

"Do not judge a restaurant by its name," Jaden replied. "They have the best food in this district."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Humans can't eat Duros food, Jaden."

"Trust me on that. I speak from personal experience," Rosh muttered.

"They don't cook just Duros food. They have food for us humans, too. And it's good." Rosh still looked suspicious. "Look, Rosh, I've been here several times."

"What if they changed management while you were at the Academy?"

Jaden rolled her eyes. "And I thought I was paranoid. Seriously, the place doesn't look any different. And I recognize the serving droid. It's the same one from when I came here before."

"But what about—"

Kyle put a stop to the banter with a simple, "Good. Let's go."

* * *

Surprisingly, the food was simple, yet tasty. 

"Jaden, you're a genius," Rosh said in between bites of his mynock sandwich.

"One hour after I try to bash your head in with a frying pan, you say I'm a genius?"

Rosh reconsidered his statement. "Well, notice that I didn't say that you were a genius _all the time_."

"Duly noted," Jaden said dryly.

"Now you two kids be nice to each other," Kyle said with mock sternness.

Rosh set his sandwich down carefully. Jaden eyed him warily. Rosh folded his hands on the table and looked back at Jaden. "Now, there must be something nice that I can say about you." Jaden threw a wadded-up napkin at him. Rosh caught it before it flew past him.

"Tsk, tsk. Throwing things at the table."

"So, Jaden," Kyle interrupted. "How did you know this restaurant was here? Did you and your family live around here or something?"

Jaden stiffened. Her mental shields went up, and Kyle and Rosh were suddenly unable to sense any of her feelings.

"Did we trigger a bad memory?" Kyle asked gently. Jaden nodded. "Care to talk about it?"

"I would, actually. I've known you guys for a long time, and I doubt you will take lightly what I'm about to tell you."


	7. The Korr family

**Author's Note**: This chapter's a bit long, but I think it's worth it. I made all of Jaden's history up. Jaden's history is not given in JA. No, this chapter does not explain how she created her first lightsaber, and I don't think I'm going to try to, because frankly, I don't know how Jaden could do so. Oh, and if I got the detail about Kyle's mom wrong, I do apologize.

6-9-05 Edit: Made some major revisions to this chapter. Much thanks to snackfiend101 for beta-reading this chapter for me.

6-9-05 2nd Edit: I forgot to put dividers in.

* * *

**snackfiend101**: I want to thank you for your reviews. They make my day.

**shanesnest**: Oh, about Jaden knowing Kyle and Rosh for a while: I was referring to the time Jaden spent at the Academy w/Kyle and Rosh.

**Lord Destroyer**: I could've sworn Corran Horn (or was it his partner, Iella?) ate a mynock sandwich in I, Jedi. I would have researched it except that I threw my copy of I, Jedi away because it was falling apart. I thought mynock sandwiches were canon in the GFFA. Hm.

* * *

**Coruscant – Duros Delight restaurant**

"My family is very old. My ancestors were some of the original inhabitants of Coruscant, before it turned into a planet-city. I'm told that when other beings came to Coruscant to settle here and the cities started growing exponentially, land became scarce. My family owned much property, and they sold it off, a little bit at a time. Combined with the profits from the construction company they ran — as you would probably guess, buildings were in high demand as the cities expanded — my family eventually became very rich. So much, that to this day, my father remains one of the wealthiest men on Coruscant."

Jaden lowered her head. "When I told my mother that I wanted to join the Jedi Academy, she became very emotional. She did not want me to leave. She wanted me to stay and help administrate the company. She said that if I left, she would force Father to disown me. Mother – and I, too, I suppose, was very harsh with some of the things we said."

When she had finished speaking, Jaden fell quiet, as if exhausted. "I'm sorry, Jaden. This must be difficult for you to talk about," Rosh said quietly.

Jaden looked up and shrugged. "It is, but I suppose it's time for me to talk about it."

Kyle had a question. "So you left home and came to the Academy, despite what your mother said. Did your family disown you?"

Jaden looked away. "I don't know. I haven't been in contact with them since I came to the Academy."

Rosh felt sorry for Jaden. She spent the last two years estranged from her family, wondering if she would ever speak to them again? Wow. "Well, maybe after all this is over, you can go try and make things right with your mom. I'm sure that she feels differently now, if she's anything like you."

Jaden smiled weakly. "You don't know my mom."

"If I had an opportunity to make things right with my mother, I would take it," Kyle put in.

Jaden looked at him quizzically. "You weren't on good terms with your mother?"

Kyle leaned back in his chair. "I never knew her. She died when I was young."

Jaden bit her lip. "I can't comprehend what that might be like...never knowing your mother." Kyle stared off into space.

"Trust me, despite your mother's...shortcomings, having her in your life is a gift."

Jaden lowered her head as she considered his words.

* * *

It was approaching nighttime when they left the restaurant. The Jedi decided to call it a day, and they headed back to Jaden's apartment.

Jaden eyed the other two. "Were you planning on staying here tonight?"

Kyle shrugged. "Yeah, I know you really enjoy Rosh's company."

Jaden smiled sweetly. "Of course. I enjoy Rosh's company as much as I enjoyed cleaning this apartment."

"Oh, ouch. She's brutal tonight, isn't she, Kyle?"

Kyle just sat on the other sleepcouch.

Jaden pasted a thoughtful look on her face. "Actually, cleaning the apartment wasn't that bad. It was filthy beyond belief when I first saw it. I thought it would never be clean again. The work to make it better was long and difficult. But now, it's quite nice, and I enjoy staying here."

Rosh blinked. "Did you just say something nice about me? Who are you, and what have you done with Jaden?"

"Don't look so shocked, Rosh. I can show a little consideration from time to time."

"It's just so novel." Rosh's retort didn't miss a beat. "At least give me time to get used to the idea."

"Har de har har. You're very funny, Rosh."

Rosh made a face. "Yeah, I seem to have a knack for that kind of thing."

A voice echoed through Jaden's mind.

_You weren't serious when you complimented him, were you?_

"Get out of my head," she snapped automatically.

Kyle twisted around to look at her curiously. "Jaden?"

_Remember all the times he annoyed you before?_

"That's not your concern," she replied coldly.

_You should've killed him on Taspir 3._

For a brief moment, her vision went black. Then she regained consciousness. She was lying on the floor. Rosh and Kyle were kneeling beside her. Concerned looks were on their faces.

Jaden's head felt as though it were being squeezed in a vice. "Ouch," she mumbled.

"She's coming around!" Kyle leaned closer to her face. "Jaden, can you hear me?"

She blinked a few times. "Yeah." Rosh blew a sigh of relief. "Yeah, I'm all right." She started to sit up, but Kyle pushed her back down.

"No, you aren't. Not yet."

"No, really," Jaden insisted. "This isn't the first time this has happened." Kyle studied her for a long moment, then allowed her to sit up slowly.

Jaden rubbed the back of her neck - she seemed to have a habit of doing that after she regained consciousness - and asked, "How long was I out?"

"About an hour." Jaden went still.

"That's a new record. After about the fifth time, I started timing it."

"And how many times has this happened before?" Kyle questioned.

"I lost track after sixteen. If I had to make a guess, I'd say I've lost consciousness like this about, oh, thirty times in the past two days." Kyle and Rosh looked at each other. "Which is the reason why I can't sleep. Every time I fall asleep, the dreams start. If I stay awake, that voice talks to me."

"What voice?"

"The one that tells me to assimilate the Holocron's knowledge."

Kyle sat back on his heels. "It's a wonder you've managed to resist for this long, considering what we felt."

Jaden looked at Rosh, then Kyle. "Why? What did you feel?"

Rosh explained. "There was this big cloud of dark energy surrounding you. We could see you, but we couldn't sense your presence. After about a minute, it disappeared, and we could sense you again, but you were still unconscious."

Jaden drew a shaky breath and exhaled. "I…­I can't continue anymore."

"Yes, you can," Kyle insisted.

"I don't have the strength. I'm too weak. I can't hold out much longer! Why do you think I sent a message to Master Skywalker?"

"You have the Force. Use it."

Jaden looked away. "I'm not sure I should. It's too dangerous."

Kyle put a hand on Jaden's shoulder. "Jaden, I stopped using the Force at one point, too. In the end, it all worked out for good, of course, but I might've saved myself a whole lot of trouble if I hadn't given it up."

"But what about —"

Kyle shushed her. "Not right now, Jaden. Your emotions are running raw with lack of sleep. You need to get some rest."

He released his grip on her shoulder. A strange tingling sensation spread from the spot where Kyle had rested his hand, bringing with it an oily lethargy. Jaden's eyelids drooped and her breathing slowed. She would have fallen backwards if Kyle and Rosh hadn't caught her.

The two men combined their powers to levitate Jaden onto a sleepcouch. When she was settled for the night, Kyle caught Rosh's gaze.

"We need to keep watch over her," he said quietly. Rosh nodded.

"I'll take the first shift. I'll wake you in five hours, or if anything goes wrong, of course."

* * *

Rosh looked at his chronometer again. 0216 hours, Galactic Standard Time. Three hours and twenty-one minutes until he was supposed to wake Kyle. He glanced at Jaden. She hadn't moved since they had lifted her up to the sleepcouch.

A Pazaak deck lay in front of him. Idly, he flipped one card over. +6. He chose another random card. +1, bringing his score to +7. How lucky for him.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose. Rosh stiffened. He looked up and scanned the room. Nothing was there. At least that he could see. His hand moved to his lightsaber.

Dark energy wrapped itself around his mind. Suddenly he couldn't sense anything. _The Holocron! _He tried to resist, but he was losing already. Rosh tried to stay awake. Jaden needed him. He had to protect her.

He was aware that if he lost this battle now, there would be nothing to stop the Holocron from persuading Jaden to fall to the dark side. Desperately, he attempted to build a resistance to the dark side, but it was too late. Rosh slipped over the edge into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Rosh. Rosh! Snap out of it!"

Rosh was startled awake when someone slapped him. Blearily, he opened his eyes and blinked. Kyle took him by the shoulders and shook him until his teeth rattled.

"Wuz' goin' on?" Memories came flooding back. "Jaden!" He shook free of Kyle's grip and leapt to his feet.

Jaden was gone. "She's after the artifact?"

Kyle's expression was grim. "I'm afraid so."

The two exited the apartment, ran down the hallway, and clattered down the stairs as if a krayt dragon was after them, heedless of the noise they were making. Outside the complex, Rosh stopped.

"Wait! We don't know where Elan Jorus's apartment is!"

Kyle frowned. "You're right. Jaden never told us exactly how to get there."

The Coruscant nightlife was still in full swing, and plenty of beings were roaming the streets. "Start asking people if they've seen her," Kyle ordered. They split up and began questioning the bystanders.

"Have you seen a human female running past here a while ago? Brown hair, green eyes? No? Thanks. Excuse me! Have you seen — Okay! Sorry! Put away your blaster. I don't want any trouble. Uh, pardon me, sir —"

Rosh found news of Jaden first. "Kyle!" He pointed south. The Jedi took off.

They had to stop and ask for directions several times. Twelve blocks later, they were in the heart of the destitute ninth Twi'lek district, standing at the door of Elan Jorus's apartment. The door was locked.

"Not like that's going to keep us out," Kyle stated and proceeded to cut through the lock with his lightsaber. The door opened noiselessly. It was dark inside. Rosh remembered when he and Kyle had first entered Jaden's apartment. He was not anxious to be attacked with a frying pan again. Rosh closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force. He glanced at Kyle.

"She's not in the front room. I can't sense anything from the back room."

Kyle frowned. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Rosh snorted. "Hm. I wonder why."

They stepped inside and commanded the lights on. The door on the far end was closed.

"Locked," Kyle said with disgust as he inspected the door. "You think she would've learned by now —" The door opened of its own accord.

Jaden whirled around from where she was standing in the middle of the room. Her eyes had turned ebony black. Her lips twisted into an evil sneer when she saw them. She was holding — no, cradling the Holocron in her right hand. It glowed with an eerie red light. Her left hand shot out and the power of the dark side enveloped the two men, encasing them both in a stasis field. Jaden smirked.

"You're too late. The Holocron is mine."


End file.
